Please note that First Semester Freshmen are eligible for participation and encouraged to apply to this program..

Program Description

The program entails the study of Physical, social and economic problems involved in integrating resource management and maintaining environmental quality, and the Physical Geography of the island of the Commonwealth of Dominica (15° 25' N,61° 20' W), which is part of the West Indies and is located in the eastern Caribbean Sea , and is situated between the two French islands of Guadeloupe and Martinique. Students will also enjoy the uniqueness of the island that is determined by its geology. Dominica is a rugged mountainous island of volcanic origin (highest point is Morne Diablotin 1, 447 m). Dominica has a total land area of 754 sq km. Roughly 75% of the island is covered by thickly wooded mountains, with more than one quarter of it protected as national parks or forest reserves. It is the most mountainous of the Lesser Antilles, and its volcanic peaks are cones of lava craters and include Boiling Lake, the second-largest, thermally active lake in the world (World Factbook, 2007). The interior of the island is dominated by a series of high peaks and deeply incised valleys, which are carpeted by deep forest. The Clyde, Pagua, Rosalie, Roseau and the Layou Rivers flow from the central ridge of mountain peaks to the coast.

The program will be based at the Government's Training Center in the center of the Capital City, Roseau. You will interact with students from the Dominica State College as well as other American students at two Medical Schools, Ross Medical University and All Saints Medical University that are based on the island. Additionally, you will learn about the physical, social and economic problems involved in integrating resource management and maintaining environmental quality, and the economic and management principles and their applications to agriculture, including agribusiness, natural resources and the environment, of the Commonwealth of Dominica, through visits to the Boiling Lake, the Morne Trois Pitton National Park, the Tropical rain forest and you will experience the contrast in Geography as one travels from lowland (grass land) to highland (mountain vegetation and fauna) over a span of less than eight miles.

This winter session program typically takes a variety of field trips including ones to Fort Shirley(a former British Fortress that is presently being rehabilitated) at the Cabrits at Portsmouth, the Carib Territory (an area that is exclusively inhabited by the indigenous peoples of the island), Sulfur Springs, an Ocean experience that will afford you the opportunity to see a vibrant marine life habitat. Here you will find some of the most colorful and healthiest reef systems in the Caribbean. For the duration of the program, students will reside in a hotel (single or double rooms with breakfast provided) in the capital city of Roseau.

Whether you are interested in Geography, getting drenched from tropical showers, or an Ocean experience, the winter session in the Commonwealth of Dominica is your chance to get a taste of Dominica's famous creole cuisine (some Mountain Chicken included), to learn a little more of your neighbors to your South and a few words of Patois. Bring your hiking boots, your camcorders, and your binoculars since you will be trekking through the tropical rain forest where you will be able to record the sound and sight of the Sisserou Parrot, which is unique to Dominica, (the Nature Island of the Caribbean), and is it's National Bird. You will also be able to test your chef's expertise by hard-boiling your eggs in the Western Hemisphere's largest Boiling Lake. You will also visit the Valley of Desolation.

The Program Fee covers housing, all program-related excursions, some meals, and international medical insurance.
For the duration of the program, students will reside in a hotel (single or double rooms with breakfast provided) in the capital city of Roseau.

The Program Fee does NOT include airfare to/from Dominica, nor airport transfers within the U.S. The program officially begins when students arrive in Dominica. Students will receive detailed travel instructions after acceptance, explaining how and where to purchase their plane ticket. See the Cost section below for estimate airfare. For this program, students will be given recommended flight itineraries for traveling together.

ACCESSIBILITY: Participants with disabilities should know that accessibility and accommodation in some program locations may differ from the United States. Transit systems and legacy building construction practices may not meet U.S. accessibility standards, and alternative access to public transportation, buildings, or public sites cannot be guaranteed. But UD students with disabilities are welcome and encouraged to study abroad. Review these questions with the Office of Disability Support Services to determine whether this program can meet your accommodation needs.

Program Courses

Students must enroll in all credit-bearing courses for a grade. Only the UNIV (zero credit) course may be taken pass/fail. Audit registration is not permitted on UD Travel Study. Please refer to the University Catalog to verify requirements and prerequisites

Honors credit may be available. Check with the faculty director and the Honors program for approval (check before departure).

All students must enroll in at least 6 credits, as well as the 0-credit UNIV course.

GEOG 101-070: Physical Geography (3 credits)

Physical geography brings together the interrelationships among the important elements of the physical environment. Although it is a synthesis of many of the physical sciences (including meteorology, climatology, hydrology, oceanography, geology, geomorphology, biology, and ecology), physical geography emphasizes the factors that lead to the formation of different environments and how the elements of the natural environment combine to form global environmental regions. The course will focus on the Earth’s atmosphere. In particular, we will examine (1) the fundamental processes of the atmosphere and (2) provide answers to the question “Why and how do the climates of the world vary?”

Students are asked to reflect upon changes in their knowledge, skills, and attitudes that occur due to their study abroad experience.

Satisfies the following requirements:

Discovery Learning

Requirements

Applicants should have a G.P.A. of at least 2.0 (on a 4.00 scale). We encourage freshmen to apply!

Meeting these minimum requirements does not guarantee acceptance, which is based on academic quality and demonstrated ability to contribute to the objectives of the program. Early application is encouraged.

For all participants, a formal application is necessary, including at least one recommendation. An interview may be conducted in person or by telephone.

Study abroad at the University of Delaware is highly competitive. Please review the study abroad acceptance process. If you are not selected for your first choice program, we encourage you to apply to another program.

Costs

How much does it cost?.

University of Delaware Tuition/Fees for one Winter Session

Travel Study Program Fee

Usually covers: housing, all program-related excursions and some meals (check with the program's faculty director for details).

Does NOT cover: airfare to/from the program site and ground transportation to/from the U.S. departure airport. For planning purposes only, we estimate roundtrip airfare to be approximately $1,500.00.

When and how do I pay?If you are offered acceptance to the program, you will have 3 days to withdraw without financial penalty. After the 3 days have passed, you will be officially accepted to the program, and IGS will post the full Program Fee and Tuition/Fees to your UD student account.

An initial payment of $1000.00 will be due in mid-October.

The balance of the Program Fee and Tuition/Fees will be due in early January.

All charges, once posted to your account, are considered non-refundable.

Other important things to note:

Program Fees are subject to change until the group's departure date. Final Program Fees may increase due to unforeseen local cost increases, fluctuations in exchange rates, or changes in the group size.

IGS reserves the right to cancel a program at any time due to under-enrollment, safety/health/security issues, staffing issues, or any other relevant reason. If your program is cancelled, you will receive a full refund of all Program Fees paid.

Delaware Resident

Non-Delaware Resident

Final Tuition based on current year

$2,295.00

$6,165.00

Final Program Fee

$2,740.00

$2,740.00

UD Registration & Activities Fee

$30.00

$30.00

Total to be charged to UD account (final)

$5,065.00

$8,935.00

Plus Airfare Estimate (purchased separately)

$1,500.00

$1,500.00

The rates above may not apply to you if you are a UD graduate student during the time you are studying abroad. Please refer to http://www1.udel.edu/finaid/rates.html for the appropriate rates.

The University of Delaware’s differential charge for Engineering, Nursing and Business & Economics students https://provost.udel.edu/differential-charge/ does not apply to winter or summer session and is waived for students enrolled in semester- or year-long study abroad and exchange programs sponsored by the University.

Scholarships

Financial need-based scholarships are available to UD undergraduates on a competitive basis. To be considered, students must have a current FAFSA on-file with Student Financial Services. For more details, please see our scholarships page.

Deadlines

All charges, once posted to your account, are considered non-refundable. Payments are submitted through My Finances in UDSIS.

Submit Program Application by 5pm on

September 20, 2018

Acceptance and Scholarship Announced

September 26, 2018

$1,000.00 Initial Payment Due *

mid-October

Program Fee Balance, Tuition and Fees Due

early January

*All students will receive an email when they are accepted to a program and will have 10 days from that notification to make their $1,000.00 Initial Payment.